Research
by SnowyWolff
Summary: Inazuma Japan is watching old videos for researching purposes. Plenty of embarrassing matches to pick from, but Kidou hadn't exactly expected to be faced with himself from an other time.


**Prompt:** After another long practice for the World Cup, the Team Japan decides to rewatch old Raimon matches. While watching, one catches their attention, Teikoku vs. Raimon (Kidou's first match). Everyone is shocked about Kidou's old (douche/terrible) behavior and decide to tease Kidou all in good fun. (Will Kidou be ashamed, proud, or just plain confused?) - PrimeLegend

A little short, but hopefully it fits the bill :D

Set in the original universe, so Kiyama Tatsuya is Kiyama Hiroto.

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 **Research**

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It had been for researching purposes. The old matches that Raimon had played, in the Football Frontier, against Aliea Academy (much to Kiyama's embarrassment), were a good example of old techniques and gave everyone a fair chance to analyze what went right as well as wrong.

Most of the team was present, spread around the living room, mostly seated on the rug because there was only one couch and three armchairs that had been quickly occupied. Some, like Fudou and Tobitaka, had left for their rooms, not interested in old footage. Kidou was divided on the whole thing, not feeling that the matches were up to par to the world level, as ironic as it was to call what had been supposed to be the universe laughable in comparison.

Kidou had managed to claim a seat on the couch, wedged against the armrest on one side and against Fubuki on the other. Fubuki was in a discussion with Tsunami wedged on his other side, talking about creating their own _hissatsu_ maybe.

Haruna was seated next to the TV, Toramaru next to her, pouring over a multitude of DVDs. Kidou hoped they would pick something from the final days of Aliea. Perhaps the Chaos match, even if it got broken up by Kiyama before it had come to its full fruition (and Raimon's likely loss).

But no, it was something else entirely. Something Kidou hadn't thought of in quite some time and sent a shiver down his spine.

No one had quite caught on yet, most still caught up in their conversations, but Gouenji, seated in one of the chairs, caught Kidou's eye. His eyes shone with sympathy and understanding, because the match wasn't that great on Gouenji's conscious either.

Then Endou paused, turned away from where he had been chatting with Kazemaru, and stared at the TV. That was enough to silence the whole room.

Kidou watched himself on TV, himself from another time, himself from what felt like another life, and didn't know what to think or feel. It was uncomfortable, to hear himself say those cruel words, to see himself care very little about other people, but it was also a reminder of how far he'd come, how much he had grown.

He was distracted from the screen by Sakuma tugging on his pant leg, glancing up curiously from where he sat on the floor. Kidou bent forward so he could hear what Sakuma was whispering.

"Is this okay?"

And Kidou glanced back at the screen, felt Fubuki touch his elbow to catch his attention discreetly as well, and really asked himself if it was.

"I don't know."

Haruna was evading his eye now, sitting with Aki and Fuyuka and staring steadfastly at the screen. Her idea then, that much was easy to figure out. Now, the why, on the other hand…

"Huh," Someoka said loudly, almost leisurely, from where he laid on the rug, "that's such a long time ago now, isn't it?"

Kazemaru hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So much has happened since then."

"Ah, I'd almost forgotten how scary Kidou used to be," Kabeyama said, shivering.

"Forgotten?" Gouenji grinned. "He hasn't changed _that_ much."

Endou snorted, leaning back on his palms and looking at Kidou, gauging his reaction. Then, he joined Gouenji in grinning manically and said, "Yeah. Everyone be warned. You can't skip out on practice or that side shows up."

Shifting in his seat, Kidou narrowed his eyes at his best friends, not so much angry as annoyed at their teasing, but there was laughter around the room and the violence on the TV stopped bothering him as much as it had. He leaned in the cushions, pulled a smug grin from the depths of his memory, a smile that mirrored the one he wore in that old Teikoku-Raimon match, and played along.

"Yes, and you should know."

Endou rubbed the back of his head in a nervous habit. "I apologized, didn't I?"

The smirk cracked, and Kidou couldn't quite stifle the snort that left him after. He glanced away shortly, took a moment to breathe, to enjoy the laughter of all his friends as they joked about the match now, how far they had come after such a rocky start.

Kidou leaned forward, caught Sakuma's attention and murmured, "Yeah, this is okay."


End file.
